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Original poster

Isofix Base - worth it? Pros and Cons?

40 replies

RL20 · 07/03/2015 08:24

Just that really!
Have been thinking about it for a while.
I'm aware they're quite expensive but if the pros outweigh the cons (if there are any?) then I will be happy to purchase.
I have checked for the Isofix points in my car and I do have them.
My main reason to purchase is because we are currently living in a flat. Only first floor but I'm thinking I won't want to lug the pushchair up and down the stairs every day and will just carry baby in car seat, will the Isofix make this 'easier', and would you even recommend leaving the pushchair in the car? (Boot).
Thanks in advance

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someonegetmeaglassofwine · 07/03/2015 08:30

I had an isofix base (same as you, lived in a flat) and they do make it lot easier to get the seat in and out. I also found it more reassuring as there is a little indicator which goes green to say the seat is it properly. The seat did also go in dm's car with a seat belt sometimes but it was a faff.

Xo90 · 07/03/2015 08:46

We've got the maxicosi easy base (seat belt anchor instead of isofix) I haven't used it yet as baby not here but it seems so easy. Just click the car seat on. Don't have to fiddle with strapping it in each time.
We live on 2nd floor flat and leave the buggy in the car. I'm planning on bringing baby up and down in car seat. With a toddler also it will hopefully make it a little easier.

Murphy29 · 07/03/2015 08:55

We didn't bother, using the seatbelt isn't that hard to justify the price of the isofix base IMO but then we spent on other things that many don't see the need for.

I didn't like the idea of that seat permanently being 'out of use' even when DS not with us.

Our pram lives in the car also, seemed like a total faff to take it in and out of the house.

Original poster

RL20 · 07/03/2015 08:56

I didn't know about the indicator, that's handy!
I've read about the maxi cosi one too.
It does sound like it's going to be easier with some sort of base.
Think I'll have to take a trip to halfords over the weekend. The prices are pretty much the same all over the internet aren't they!

OP posts:

confusedandemployed · 07/03/2015 08:57

I nearly bought one but didn't bother in the end. I never once felt the need of it.

Haggisfish · 07/03/2015 08:58

I loved ours-made it so much easier. We got a britax pram and car seat and could just click and go from car and car seat clicked into pram base, too. It was fab. I leave push hhsir in boot all the time.

Panzee · 07/03/2015 09:01

I bought one for number two, wish I'd got it the first time round. They aren't in use for long, however, so I would look on your local baby page on Facebook or similar.

BabyShallBeNameless · 07/03/2015 09:02

I loved our Isofix base with DS, but just watch that it's ok for your car - we bought a Ford Galaxy when we found out we were expecting DC2, and only one of the seats is suitable for an Isofix base with a leg on it (the middle seat) as the outer seats have underfloor storage compartments which may not support the leg in a crash. So DS is in the middle seat with his current car seat that still uses the base, and DC2 will have to use the seatbelt to secure their seat in ine of the outer positions.

Xo90 · 07/03/2015 09:03

I think the bases come in more handy with a second child. For me definitely. It's easy to just click the car seat in with one hand while I'm holding my toddlers hand with the other. Then I can put him in the safely too. We don't have parking bays so all the cars are parked along the side of the road. So depending on what way I'm facing one of them is going to be road side. So I will be wanting to do it as quickly as possible. A base allows this to happen. So I don't think they're a waste of money.

TarkaTheOtter · 07/03/2015 09:04

I think it's the sort of thing that you won't miss if you don't have one, but you will appreciate if you do get it.

RevoltingPeasant · 07/03/2015 09:09

I love ours! (Ftm)

-lights and sound to show when seat is in safely, super useful in the dark or when you can't easily see due to awkward parking

no danger of making a mistake with the belt or forgetting something in sleep deprived haze

speed of getting in and out, when you are inevitably running late for a GP appt because baby decided to do an explosive poo as you were getting out the door

gallicgirl · 07/03/2015 09:10

I didn't have one with first child but I'm considering with second.
I've noticed that seat gets moved more as toddler climbs on and off it so I think isofix would be better on an older stage seat.

Bear in mind as well that baby plus car seat gets very heavy, very quickly. You might find that after a few months it's too heavy to carry upstairs.

bellaboo88 · 07/03/2015 09:12

I bought mine last Sunday when DS was 3weeks old, never felt confident strapping the seat in & it was a chore - I'm short & had to get in along side him to do it!

Expensive yes but worth every penny in my eyes!

Carks31 · 07/03/2015 09:14

We got one and have no regrets over it. Noticed just how quickly you can click and go when I used my husbands car his week while mine was in the garage and we didn't transfer the base. Even at 8 months I'm still at the stage where it's a mad rush to get myself and DS out of the door on time so any time saving helps!

I've found issues for example with Dad's Yaris, where you have to fully pull out the seat belt as far as it will go before trying to fasten it around the car seat without releasing the tension, or the safety mechanism locks into place and you have to start all over again. It's been such a battle each time I've tried to fasten the car seat into his car! It's been quicker to actually transfer and refit the isofix in his car.

Plus with the base there is the reassurance with the indicator lights that everything is correctly fitted into place is great.

Also, our pram is left in the car boot most of the time.

IdaClair · 07/03/2015 09:18

I don"'to because car seats are for the car only. If we get out so does the baby.

MotherOfInsomniacToddlers · 07/03/2015 09:36

Yes worth every penny and have good resale value

NuzzleandScratch · 07/03/2015 09:43

I got one mainly because I felt they were safer. The seat is properly anchored into the car, whereas I always feel baby seats strapped in with a belt can slide a little.

As others have said, they are certainly much easier to put in and out too.

We're still using ours for dd2's second seat, so with 2 children, it's had plenty of use.

butterfly86 · 07/03/2015 09:48

I got one mainly for safety reasons but they are so much easier no messing about with seatbelts, we have a 3 door car so I would have to climb in the back to fasten the seatbelt. Ours has the lights and sound too so we know it's in properly and dd is safw

MrsWooster · 07/03/2015 10:20

if I knew then....
I'd get second hand easy fix base or similar so I could click out the egg car seat and take it upstairs and use eg a Quinny frame for the first 6 months.. it passes amazingly fast and then flog the lot or stash for dc2 and get a proper situp car seat and start using the proper pram. I'd also make sure proper pram has big soft wheels not horrid little ones like Quinny! these don't matter initially because you wheel pfb like he or he is made of eggshell but you will become a LOT more blase later and want to crash about. nipper out n about has changed my life. I love it!

AnythingNotEverything · 07/03/2015 10:29

Imagine bending over the car, in the rain and wind, faffing with a seatbelt, straightening every kink and tightening it every time. Compare that with plonking seat on base, checking the indicators are green and jumping in the car.

What are they? £100? Worth every penny IMO.

Tranquilitybaby · 07/03/2015 10:30

It's safer and quicker so it's a yes from me. We've got one to go with our cabriofix.

RVPisnomore · 07/03/2015 10:32

I had one for DS in my car and one in DH and would recommend having one. There is the ease of using them but for me it was the safety aspect. You always knew it was in properly and that it wouldn't move. If you can I would say get one.

HazleNutt · 07/03/2015 11:08

definitely worth it - we also had one in each car, so easy to just click the seat in and out.

Original poster

RL20 · 07/03/2015 11:44

Thanks everyone I appreciate all of your comments. I think I'm definitely still nearing more towards having one.
Will take a trip to Halfords tomorrow to see what the options are.

In reply to someone that mentioned you don't use them for long, how long exactly would it be used for? Complete rookie here so have no clue!

OP posts:

Kilicat · 07/03/2015 11:56

The lady in Mothercare that we spoke to said that using the isofix base was 20% safer than using a seatbelt - not sure where she came up with that statistic from though. However, I did ask if it was just a convenience thing or if there were safety benefits, as I was also wondering if we really needed one. She was pretty adamant that it was safety as well as convenience. I suspect this maybe partly due to people fitting the car seats incorrectly with a seatbelt rather than it not working as well?

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